Explaining the finer points of Mellon Trust's Workbench suite of online trust custody tools can take longer than 30 minutes, the amount of time vendors usually get to make their point during an RFP presentation.
Now potential users can carry the presentation with them in a vest pocket or handbag to peruse at their leisure.
Boston-based Mellon has produced "several thousand" e-cards, interactive mini CD-ROMs containing the Workbench presentation, including voice narration, click-through navigation of all its components along with graphics and illustrations. It provides viewers with essentially the same presentation they would receive from Mellon executives in a boardroom. They can even ask questions through an icon that connects them to the Workbench website, where additional information is available and from which they can e-mail questions.
The presentation covers all the essential elements of Workbench, including transaction capability from trade entry to trade capture and verification; client reporting; portfolio analytics and attribution; and portfolio management components, including modeling.
"We wanted a way for a plan sponsors, potential clients, fund managers and consultants to review the material expeditiously," said John Lombard, Mellon Trust vice president and marketing manager.
Mellon is using the e-card as a marketing tool via direct mail.
